Advice for a new real estate agent?

[Jacob Peistrup]

Hey BP,

I'm a new agent wanting to figure out everything I need to do to start off right and have a successful first year. So far, my brokerage has me working on gathering my database of every friend/family member/acquaintance I want to keep in touch with and notify about being an agent. I've been watching videos and reading articles about how to get started. I’ve been working on getting business cards, branding, website, etc. to create a recognizable brand. 

The biggest thing I’m unsure about is leads and lead gen. I have lots of friends in my database, but I’m 19 and I know my friends (all 18-20) will not be buying or selling real estate in the near future. 

I want to go to networking events, meetups, etc. but COVID-19 makes that hard for the time being. Also can’t do door-to-door or anything like that to create leads. 

I’ve heard the first few months are frustrating because it’s hard not knowing the ins and outs and how to do stuff, and I really want to avoid it because I want to be a reputable agent people take seriously. What do any of you experienced agents recommend focusing on right now? 

Thanks guys!